Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a package of amendments to the penal code relating to military service. Desertion or failure to appear for military service is punishable by imprisonment from five to ten years. Those who voluntarily surrender to the enemy will face a prison sentence of up to ten years. In addition, 15 years of imprisonment are foreseen for desertion during mobilization or martial law, reports Tass.
Putin also signed a law that facilitates access to Russian nationality for foreign nationals serving in the Russian military. The law provides that foreigners enrolled in the Russian army can apply for Russian citizenship without presenting a residence permit, Tass reports. A procedure which can be accessed by foreigners who have signed a contract with the Russian army for at least a year, it is specified. Thus the Russian couples are separating, forced by Putin’s call to arms. Railway stations and army checkpoints have become the scene of heartbreaking separations, often involving young couples and men who don’t want to fight.
“Since 12 September we have a new visa regime for Russia. This means that Member States can still issue visas to Russian citizens, albeit with a longer and cumbersome process. The Commission has also adopted guidelines that support a much more restrictive approach to visas for non-essential purposes ”, with which“ we intend to coordinate and promote common solutions at the EU level. This is essential to preserve a strong Schengen area and above all our unity ”. This was underlined to ANSA by a spokeswoman for the EU Commission, when asked about the case of visas for fleeing Russians. The situation will be taken stock in Brussels in the next few hours.
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